Trunk or Treat

Tonight was quite a night!

We went to our ward's "Trunk or Treat" and it was awesome. There was a soup/salad dinner, carnival games, and then we all went outside in the dark to have lots of kids run around getting candy. Jane had the best time and was really into running from car to car yelling "thank you!" Bruce stayed with dad and Kate at the car and had a blast passing our candy.
Enjoy the pictures:

The kids: Jane was Sleeping Beauty (Aurora), Bruce was the dragon, Kate was a good fairy.

Flying Fairy Kate
Jane and some of her princess friends
Kate looking cute as always

Some more of our favorite costumes:
Our bishop
Dwight and Angela
Cute little vacuum
My friend who is due in January

Carving Pumpkins

For Family Night we carved our pumpkins, well Jane and Bruce just stuck things in theirs, but it counts.

Jane and her pumpkin

Bruce and his pumpkin

Kate and Pumpkin Goodness

Jane and B's pumpkin

So scary all lit up!

Primary Program

Yesterday we had our primary program and since Jane is a sunbeam she got to take part. She did awesome and didn't need any help. While we were trying to help her learn what to say my sister gave me a great idea of writing it out and then using pictures and colors to help her remember. Here's how it went:

Great job Jane!

Drawing

Since my 2 sisters have recently posted "artwork" on their blogs, B wanted me to post his latest drawing: It's much better than Sophie's and Josh's- stop crying.

Stake Play

Yep- they still have them!

Today the girls and I went to the production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It was very well done with wonderful singing and beautiful costumes. I love the songs in this one. Jane's favorite part "was when they found Joseph at the end and were so happy." My favorite part was when I first saw father Jacob sitting on the stage. It reminded me of when my brother Stuart played Jacob many years ago in a school play. I told him that today and he said that mom still owes him a Nintendo game for that (good bribe mom.)

When I told Jane we were going to a play she said, "wait let me go get my costume." When I tried to explain that she couldn't be in the play she said she'd just wear the costume anyways so her friends could see. So silly.

More Halloween Fun!

Well, less than a week to go until Halloween and the parties are still going:

* Last week we attended "Pumpkin Planters" at the library and Jane made this cute pumpkin.
We also went to the community party and Bruce loved bowling with a pumpkin.

* Yesterday Jane, Kate, and I went to Pumpkin Farm #2. and the interesting thing about this one was that none of the pumpkins actually grew there this year, they were all imported. They did have a lot of them and we got to go on a hay ride, watch a chicken show, and visit the petting zoo.

Kate's soft Halloween outfit

* Today we started by going to a mom's group Halloween party which was lots of fun. Then we headed to the library for Story time where we read books and went trick or treating.
Jane started off the day as a unicorn, then was a cute witch, then a purple Pegasus princess, and finally Cinderella. She has yet to be the bunny rabbit costume which was what she originally wanted to be, we've still got time.


Purple Princess Jane

Jane the witch w/ the witch librarian

*Coming up soon we'll have Jane's preschool party and the ward's "trunk of treat", oh and Halloween itself- fun fun fun!

Bonus picture of Kate she really is getting good at grabbing her toys:

Sliding (sideways)

Here is a very short- fun video of us enjoying our last of the warm days.

Sorry it's sideways- I'm still learning about camera features.


Plus a picture of Bruce talking to Grandma with his Halloween Costume on.

(minus the yellow vest from Henry)
He loves his new talking tool belt!

Baby Karen!

A big happy welcome to our newest cousin
Karen Miller!

Born Oct. 20th and all are so happy she's here.

Happy Sweetest Day!

Happy "Sweetest Day" to everyone!

My Super Sweet husband brought me these flowers in honor of the occasion.
I love him so much! !

For those of you who don't know what this holiday is (like me,) here's what I found out:

Sweetest Day ...

Is always the third Saturday in October.

This holiday is much more important in some regions than in others (Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo being the biggest Sweetest Day cities). It is a holiday that is gaining in popularity every year throughout the country.

How It Started

Over 60 years ago, a Cleveland man, believing that the city's orphans and shut-ins too often felt forgotten and neglected, conceived the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this through the distribution of small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors, he distributed these small remembrances on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed, other Clevelanders began to participate in the celebration ceremony, which came to be called "Sweetest Day". In time, the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the underprivileged was broadened to include everyone, and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small remembrance. And soon the idea spread to other cities all over the country.

What It Is

It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, aged, and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.

Because for many people remembering takes the form of gift-giving, Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care, in a tangible way.

2 funny things our kids said...

O.K. real quick~
Yesterday we were all driving in the car and Jane said, "What if we lived in a house made of crackers?" and Bruce immediately responded "Oh, ya, I'd go in that house and eat lots of crackers- munch munch munch (said in his cute 2-year-old voice.)" I laughed a lot!
Then later that day I asked Jane what they talked about in preschool. "We talked about hibernation."
"Oh really? What do you think about hibernation?"
"It's very great- we should do it."
I agree, sleep- some things don't get any better.

Pumpkin Farm

Yesterday afternoon we drove to one of the many Pumpkin Farms here in New York. It was so fun and the best part was that it was FREE. They had this little straw maze inside and then outside was a big area with a variety of activities and some farm animals. Bruce's favorite was sitting in a big tractor tire that was filled with corn & playing with little tractors. The kids also loved going in the corn maze and picking a pumpkin from Josh's Pumpkin Patch. We'll go to another Pumpkin place next week for Jane's preschool- we love pumpkins!
Kids and Pumpkins- what could be more fun?
Kate loves her Halloween hat from Jo:

Pictures from Palmyra

Yesterday we spent most of the day in beautiful Palmyra, NY.

The drive there was so pretty with many of the leaves turning beautiful colors.

The Temple:
(http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-113-0,00.html)

Here is a picture of how happy EVERYONE was to be at the temple. (Jane and Bruce were so upset that we were going to walk around- oh boy, cranky- Jane wouldn't turn around) :

Mommy and Kate:

Bruce and the Sacred Grove in the background:

B and Jane:

While living in Utah I often heard how we really needed to take advantage of going to the temple only having it 5 minutes away- so true! This morning we got up, fed, dressed, packed lunches, toys, etc... and left about 8:30 to drive to Palmyra. We arrived around 10:00, walked around the temple and then drove to the nearby church. I fed Kate and we got the kids set up in this little room where 20 other children would soon join them while their parents also went to the temple. (Kate slept almost the entire time we were gone-whew!)
We got back to the church around 1:15 got the kids, cleaned up the toys, drove somewhere to eat and then drove back home arriving around 4:00. I know that compared to many places around the nation and world we have it easy and I was grateful to go, but I will be sure to take advantage of times when the temple is close in the future.

Mommy's Little Pumpkin

Reader Beware

Over the next few weeks you may see many pictures leading up to Halloween.

(We're so excited!)
Here's Mommy's Little Pumpkin (thanks Lissa & Jo):
Bruce holding "our pumpkin."
Here is a witch that Grandma Damstedt sent to us to help celebrate.
A neighbor came over and saw it and said that you usually put the witch around the trunk of a tree, but we thought it appropriate to put in to our door outside, no witch would ever want to stay long here with our silly kids.


This Halloween pillow was sent to us by Grandma Miller.
She completed the cross-stitch while she was here in July. I love the different Halloween fabrics. I think if I ever made a quilt, I'd start with one for Halloween.

Kate's Laugh

Our sweet girl has started to laugh and it's too cute.
We are just having sooo much fun with this little one:

While trying to get a video of her laughing last night Jane kept interrupting, here's an example:

She's a smart one!

Our Fun Day at the BEACH!

Fun in the SUN!

Oh it's 85 degrees and we're loving it!
This morning we decided to take advantage of the great weather before it's gone and we went to the beach with some friends. It was wonderful. Everyone had a fun time playing and swimming (well Kate slept through most of it.) We wish everyone a wonderful weekend!
Enjoy the pictures:
Beach Bruce

Beach Baby Kate
I took this picture of 2 beach babes (hee hee)

Jane and Bruce
Jane Swimming
Jane with friends
Going Home- whew!

* * WELCOME BABY ELIZABETH- B's sister had her baby this morning and all are well, we can't wait to see pictures! * *

Jane's Breakfast

Story: This morning I asked Jane what she wanted for breakfast.

She said she wanted oatmeal so I made her a bowl.
A minute later she said, "Mom, oatmeal is the Spanish word for Trix, that's what I want."
Silly Jane.

** An amazing, huge congratulations to our friends Katie and Eric with the birth of their baby at home(though it wasn't planned that way.) She is beautiful! **